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WEEK 26 REVIEW: Round-up of Saturday's EAL league and cup action

Monday 12th Mar 2018 10:43

FENTON CUP

The third of the four Fenton Cup semi finalists were confirmed on Saturday as Division One’s Forest Green looked to put indifferent league form behind them as they played host to Premier Division outfit, London Cranes. Despite their league position, Green put in a terrific performance to shock their lofty opponents with Alex Topping and Marcel Destouche netting the goals to send them through to the semi-finals.

DIVISION TWO CUP

There was also quarter final action in the Division Two Cup where Chingford Athletic Reserves were looking to make progress in the competition against a reinvigorated Inter Plaistow side. Umar Ali scored twice for Athletic and Jack Knowles once but two goals from Ben Nyman and a Keleenna Onyeaka effort saw the sides end level after ninety minutes at 3-3 meaning the dreaded shootout was necessary. Chingford eventually prevailed from the spot, winning the shootout 4-3 to continue on to the semi-finals.

PREMIER DIVISION

In the top flight, there were crucial results at both ends of the league table as United London came from two goals behind against Jolof Sports at home to recover a point in their clash in Romford. Modou Jammeh and a Stoica Loan free kick had given Jolof a 2-0 half-time lead. Second half efforts from Shaun Goddard and Scott Truman levelled up an exciting match to take home a point each. It’s a result which takes the title challenge our of United’s hands for now with a few games to go.

In the day’s other action in this division, two of the bottom three sides came face to face as Blue Marlin saw the visit of bottom of the table London APSA with the latter urgently in need of victories under their belts to give themselves a chance of beating the dreaded drop. APSA obliged in this respect with a scintillating 6-2 win which closes the gap on safety to six points.

DIVISION ONE

In Division One, Docklands Albion saw their long unbeaten run in the league finally come to an end as they faced Wapping in a double header in Walthamstow over the weekend. The sides each earned a 2-1 victory for themselves, a result which returns Albion to the top of the table with then games still to play. Wapping remain third in the table, two points behind the leaders but with only four matches left of their season.

Ryan Reserves have consolidated their position as one of the promotion chasing sides with a hard fought victory at home on Saturday against eighth placed Three Colts. Matthew Daley got himself on the scoresheet for the Colts but his effort was rendered just a consolation as Ryan scored twice to earn a 2-1 win, maintaining fourth place in the table.

DIVISION TWO

The Division Two action continued at the weekend with ACD United maintaining their grip on the top of the table spot following a victory away at Custom House in Silvertown. Michael Wade scored twice for the new league leaders and Frankie Markham once as they moved to a comfortable 3-0 win, maintaining a two point lead at the top with a game in hand also.

Elsewhere in the division, Lymore Gardens have made up ground on the promotion chasing sides around them as they put in a solid shift to earn a 3-1 home win against United London Reserves in Leyton. Dushane Powell, Dylan Roberts and Joshua Morris grabbed the all-important goals to cancel out Richard Wallace’s effort for the visitors and move them up to fifth in the standings.

DIVISION THREE

In Division Three, FC Baresi have finally moved top of the table having caught up on some league fixtures following their extended spells of cup success, seeing off Chingford Harriers at home on Saturday in an 8-1 victory. Mark Matthews scored a hat-trick for the leaders, adding to braces from Andre Whyte and Delano Lloyd, plus a single goal from Marvin Smith to wrap up the win.

Moving to within a point of the promotion places in this division were Old Esthameians Reserves who were on the road away at New Star Soccer on Saturday. They moved to a comfortable 3-0 victory with the Bookers grabbing all of the goals, Chris with two and Alex with one, to help their side to a crucial win.

Gatcliffe recorded their most emphatic victory of the season as they put eleven goals past Custom House Community in Chadwell Heath. Ryan Parker scored four of the goals, Shane Ritchie scored a hat-trick to go with a Joe Pyne brace and singles from Ronnie Higgs and Thomas Hall. Matthew Guy got the Custom House consolation goal in an eventual 11-1 scoreline.

DIVISION FOUR

In Division Four, Haver Town Reserves completed their penultimate league match of the season with a big home victory against Newham Royals at the weekend. The league champions stuck seven goals past the Royals with Ditmir Doci and Zak Robinson both netting twice, adding to strikes from Marcus Hippolyte-Newman, Ronnie Coules and Lewis Thwaites in a 7-0 scoreline.

There were also plenty of goals in the day’s other action in this division where Avondale Rangers made it six wins from their thirteen league matches this season, seeing off the efforts of seventh placed Dagenham United Reserves in a 6-3 win. Matthew Englezou and Thomas Jackson-Lyall both netted twice with a Chris Harper goal completing the scoring.